CSX-Oak Point/Fremont

[AlKaLI]

Took a later train into the city today due to the rain and was rewarded. NB CSX freight apparently stopped over the LIRR main. COFC with green trash containers and as my train neared Woodside caught the head-end. Two CSX engines, first unit looked like a SD40-2 and possibly the second. Around 7:10 AM this morning. Have not seen a CSX freight for a while and remember that trash cars usually are at the end of the train.

[gregorygrice]

Took a later train into the city today due to the rain and was rewarded. NB CSX freight apparently stopped over the LIRR main. COFC with green trash containers and as my train neared Woodside caught the head-end. Two CSX engines, first unit looked like a SD40-2 and possibly the second. Around 7:10 AM this morning. Have not seen a CSX freight for a while and remember that trash cars usually are at the end of the train.

Should be Y102. Also the Fremont Secondary runs East/West.

[DogBert]

No mention of that extended siding here? 🤔

The 'double track' that was installed when the new BQE overpass opened is being extended (south/east), from just past Roosevelt avenue to what appears to be somewhere north of Grand Avenue. I believe the idea will be for CSX to drop inbound cars here, and retrieve cars from fremont quicker without the run around through the yard (which limits capacity there). I assume NY&A would then run up to this siding and grab the inbound cars.

If the new siding is to go further south than grand ave, it looks like they'll have to realign the existing track off center and back to where it was originally installed (when the whole route was two track).

[ccutler]

Thanks for the update! I moved out of NYC a year ago and appreciate the reports DogBert. The siding sounds like a sensible capacity-enhancing and cost-control move by CSX. I'm sure the neighbors will enjoy seeing freight cars parked along the BQE

[AlKaLI]

I'll second the thanks to Dogbert for his updates!

Finally, I have something for this thread as well.
Westbound CSX freight to Oak Point crossing over the LIRR main this morning at 7:00 AM. Didn't see the head end power. Large cut of about 20-25 loaded CDEX cars trailing green containers of waste on flatcars heading to Hell Gate.

There are some ties scattered to the west of the current railbed near the LIRR main. I don't know if these are for the new siding or if replacement on the current track.

[DogBert]

Those ties might be either. They have slowly replaced ties here and there in the last year. A bunch were replaced up at Bowery Bay.

[Backshophoss]

CSX is just putting "gauge" ties so the track doesn't spread apart under a loaded car or loco.
just very basic track maintenance.

[AlKaLI]

Yesterday at about 1:20 PM, as my EB train sped under the line, I spotted two MofW trucks on the tracks. Appeared to be doing routine maintenance as Backshophoss said.

[DogBert]

They are installing the siding track right at that spot. If I get a chance I'll post a photo. There's a nice clear view over queens blvd viaduct & past the LIRR overpass 1 block north of queens blvd.

[DogBert]

Measured the approximate distance of the new rail + existing siding over the BQE. When it's complete, it'll measure roughly 1.5 miles. Should be enough park your average sized oak point->FP train, with a bit of buffer.

The attached map is approximated, but here's where the the new siding will be. Looked like the track was being laid from the south to the north (east/west), with ties and rails up to the Queens blvd. viaduct at the moment.

A longer siding would mean realigning track from grand ave south, or better stabilizing the embankment north towards bowery bay (which has decayed a bit around the east edge over the years). Both would have been more expensive, so this looks like the cheapest spot to do it, while also avoiding the NIMBYs closer to fresh pond.

[Backshophoss]

Might be used to lay up FPCH with the P&W's power laid up at NY&A's engine house at Fresh Pond.
CSX doesn't like P&W hogging yard space at Oak Point due to Crews out of hours to run on MN's New Haven line.

[DogBert]

Here's the new track being installed, looking south over Queens blvd viaduct. The LIRR overpass is just beyond where the curve is. Ballast is dumped & graded from here as far north as the switch near Roosevelt ave.

[freightguy]

Supposedly CSX is prepping GE power for East of Hudson freights. CSX dash 8 476 is at Croton West already for third rail plow work. The SD40-2s’ may disappear and retain the GP38’s for switching work.

[Backshophoss]

Back in the PC and CR eras, Selkirk was setup as a shop for GE power,SEOP was handled by U-boats like the U-28B's thru U-30B's on a regular basis.
later on the B-23-7 took over.
When the D&H got rights to Fresh Pond/Oak Point,that was the first known use of 6 axle power(SD40-2's) in 3rd rail territory.
Guess it's back to low horsepower end of life GE units on the SEOP/OPSE again.

[csx8851]

Last week I took a walk by that area to see the progress and how they were doing. They had all the ties placed up to the Roosevelt Av switch. This week, I walked by there again, and saw they had the rails connected to the ties, and some excavators were working to remove the original switch and re-grade the ballast underneath. Looks like in two weeks, they had everything done. Pretty quick work from those guys. The siding should be operational by Monday at this rate.